World's ugliest MV?

[Keith Webb]

This is a Quickway crane built on a Coleman chassis - very heavy engineering for it's day. It's pictured in Melbourne in 1943.

Now cut to 2006 and a survivor (possibly the same vehicle) is about to be cut up where it stands for scrap.



It's located near Ballarat in Victoria and I have more pictures and details here.

But it IS rather ugly, don't you think?

[alleramilitaria]

save it save it!!!!
it must have had morris parts in it to be that ugly

[mike mckinley]

hi keith

with the cmp series i have always said that they are so ugly they're beautiful. in the case of this crane you're right...just plain ugly. having said that, i have always liked the look of the wartime trucks like coleman, walter, oshkosh, and the sterling dds series, with their engines ahead of the axel...sounds twisted i know. attached are two pics of coleman trucks. the first is a 1948 4x4 tipper and the second is a restored 1929 with buda engine. the overall style didn't change that much over the years.

below specifications on the crane taken from historic military vehicles directory by Bart Vanderveen.

coleman g55a/ quick-way e55 (g684)

engine: buda 6cyl, 125hp, model lo 525, 522cid

transmission: 5 spd

transfer: 2spd

wheelbase: 147"

weight: 25,200lbs

used as a crane, shovel, dragline, ect, and produced from 1941-44

was equipped with a 6ton front mounted winch

crane engine: ihc model u9, 4cyl, 35hp, mounted in turn table.

equipment for this vehicle carried in a special 4ton, single axel trailer.

[mike mckinley]

this is the 1929 model found online at www.frapa.us

from a distance, this one sort of reminds me of a certain outback mail truck...badger.

[Keith Webb]

Have just heard from Rowan this vehicle was sent to the scrappers in Melbourne late last week. Shame. At least we tried to save it.